PEDESTRIANS blighted by a flooded road crossing could this month see an end to rising waters.

The pavement at the junction of London Road and Windmill Road traffic lights regularly floods during heavy rainfall, blocking the crossing and narrowing the available path.

The now infamous puddle, which earned the nickname “Headington Lake,” is due to be sorted after Oxfordshire County Council said it would begin drainage works at the crossing this month.

Chairman of community group Headington Action Patrick Coulter said: “The problem on London Road is quite overpowering, also it’s a main crossing and is an important part of Oxford.

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“Our councillors have been banging on at the county council for ages about it but it feels like they’re just happy to neglect Headington.

“There will be a simple engineering solution to improve the drainage at the crossroads.”

County councillor for Headington and Quarry Roz Smith said that people had been complaining to city and county councillors about the puddle for at least two years.

Mrs Smith said: “This has been the biggest complaint that pedestrians in Headington have had for a long time.

Oxford Mail:

  • The area when rain fell on January 3

“It is one of the busiest roads in the city and this problem needs to be dealt with as it could also hurt local businesses.”

In an email to Mrs Smith, seen by the Oxford Mail, Oxfordshire County Counill’s highway and maintenance department confirmed it would carry out drainage work at the crossing this month. Mrs Smith said: “This was highlighted as an issue by the county council two years ago and something should’ve been done a lot sooner.

“But hopefully the issue will be resolved very soon.”

Duty manager of nearby restaurant Jacobs & Field, Rebecca Thomson, 27, said: “I could see the flooding affected our business.

“But my biggest concern is for people using prams or wheelchairs, they’ll have issues using the path or crossing the road.”

County council spokesman Paul Smith said: “We will liaise with the county councillor about the existing issue and what solutions there may be.”

He refused to say when the drainage works would be completed or comment further on the email to Mrs Smith.

 

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